For more than a century, people in Portland's northern-most areas have been controlling the waters of the Columbia River. At first, farmers and landowners built structures to protect their property from flood damage.

As more residents and businesses moved into this part of Portland, property owners formed Drainage Districts to control flooding and remove stormwater from their lands. Four different Drainage Districts exist today along the south shore of the Columbia. They extend from the edge of Smith and Bybee Lakes on the west to the Sandy River on the east.

The Four Districts:   Multnomah County Drainage District No. 1, Peninsula Drainage District No. 1,  Peninsula Drainage District No. 2, and Sandy Drainage Improvement Company.